Radiocarbon-based source apportionment of black carbon (BC) in PM10 aerosols from residential area of suburban Tokyo

Abstract

Abstract The AMS technique was applied to analyse black carbon (BC), total organic carbon (TOC), and previously reported polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in PM10 aerosols from a residential area, suburban Tokyo, to determine natural abundance of radiocarbon (14C), an ideal tracer to distinguish fossil fuel (14C-free) from modern biomass combustion sources of pyrolytic products. The 14C concentrations in BC, isolated using the CTO-375 method, were 42% and 30% pMC (in terms of percent Modern Carbon: pMC) in summer and winter, respectively. The 14C concentrations in BC were also compared with those of compound-class specific 14C content of PAHs previously reported for the same samples: they were 45% and 33% pMC in summer and winter, respectively. The 14C signals of BC were identical to those of high molecular weight (MW ⩾ 226, 5–6 rings) PAHs. The resemblance between 14C signals of BC and PAHs can be referred as a ‘certificate’ for the validity of the BC isolation method employed in this study. Also, it suggests that 14C-BC approach can be a surrogate for PAHs specific 14C analyses to monitor seasonal source variation of combustion-derived pyrolytic products. On the other hand, 14C contents of total organic carbon in 2004 were 61% and 42% pMC in summer and winter, respectively. This is likely attributed to higher contribution of plant activity in summer.